


Tongue Tied

by Sweetest_Thiam



Series: Sweethearts [2]
Category: All American (TV), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Liam Dunbar, Bisexual Stiles Stilinski, Bisexual Theo Raeken, I didn't mean to make this a crossover, Implied Sexual Content, Jenna Is Awesome, Liam plays lacrosse, M/M, Minor Lydia Martin/Scott McCall, Minor Stiles Stilinski/Malia Tate, Theo plays football, minor crossover oops, rated for language, sports boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 19:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18239492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweetest_Thiam/pseuds/Sweetest_Thiam
Summary: Now that Theo and Liam have...whatever this thing is going on, there's a few more steps they need to take before things go any further. One of them is telling their friends and family, and more





	Tongue Tied

**Author's Note:**

> I needed more highschool Thiam in my life, so here's a part two to this series. I'm liking it so far, so you can expect more of these two :)
> 
> "Out of My League" was heavily based on that song, but "Tongue Tied" was just a song I was listening to at the time of writing this and it seemed like it was appropriate, but there's not a clear basis.

As soon as Liam's car started, Theo put a shaking hand on the gold door handle and tugged it open, his heart pumping softly but quickly in his chest and his stomach still not settled. Going on a date with Liam Dunbar had been the last thing he'd expected to do on his Friday night, much less finding out that Liam had liked him for even longer than he did, but he couldn't think of anything better to do with his time. As he stepped inside his house to be greeted by the smell of the Chinese takeout his dad had ordered, he sighed and leaned against the now-closed door.

Even though they were in a phase of new beginnings and a calm start, Theo's overactive head was still bouncing from thought to thought. He wondered if they were telling people yet, or if Liam even wanted them to be public. Until a few hours ago, he'd thought Liam was straight, but after that kiss...

Theo worked to stop that train of thought when he felt his knees go a little weak. "Theo? You there?" His dad called from up the stairs, and Theo finally moved from the foyer and went up to the main level. 

Mr. Raeken was sitting in the living room with a paper box of lo mein, feet kicked up on an ottoman and looking like he had not a care in the world. "So...That date obviously went well," He said, and Theo once again stilled.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Theo asked nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. His dad snorted. 

"You know I have windows, right? I could see you trying to eat each other on the front steps from here," He said, pointing his chopsticks towards the front window. "Just...wait until I'm not home, and use protection?"

"Oh my god-" Theo groaned, exasperated, and threw up his hands in defeat. "Can you just, not?"

"Theo, you act like I wasn't a teenager at one point, calm down!" Jonathan sighed. "You're so easily embarrassed these days, we all know you're not that innocent."

Theo buried his face in his hands for the second time that day around his dad. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. Is there any more food?"

Jonathan chuckled. "There's some sweet and sour chicken saved for you on the counter, and then get some sleep. We're doing some spring cleaning tomorrow morning, starting with the mess you call your closet." Theo was pretty sure his dad was going to make a bad closet joke, but he escaped to the kitchen before it could happen.

Walking into the kitchen, he spotted the chicken and grabbed it off the counter with a fork, since he couldn't use chopsticks for the life of him, and settled into one of the barstools at the kitchen island. He traced the pattern of the granite with his index fingernail, lost in his head.

While he ate his chicken, he thought about Liam again. He wondered if Liam liked chinese food, and if it was something he should bring up to him on his next date. He'd made it very clear that he'd want to go on another one, so he was sure that sooner or later, they'd be gathered somewhere, hopefully watching another movie. Even if they weren't though, Theo would be happy with him.

His mind hadn't even drifted off to the incoming Monday yet, considering he felt like that morning was forever ago. He did, however, think about what his friends would say. They'd probably freak out when they figured out that they were dating, and Theo couldn't wait to see their reactions, but for the time being, he had to keep it on the down-low.

That wasn't to say that Theo wouldn't be doing some teasing of his own, though, and this time, not to Liam. He opened the chat he had with Hayden, Josh, Mason, Corey, and Tracy, and typed out a one-sentence text, interrupting the conversation they were currently having about an upcoming pep rally. 

**Hayden**  - It's probably gonna be lame im not gonna lie  _(10:39 pm)_

**Tracy**  - you think everything is lame  _(10:39 pm)_

_Josh and 3 more are typing..._

**Theo**  - Liam is cute as FUCK guys  _(10:40 pm)_

**Mason**  - yeah i agree w hayden, pep rallies are dumb  _(10:40 pm)_

**Mason**  - wait fucking WHAT??  _(10:40 pm)_

Theo smirked and set his phone down on the counter as he ate more chicken, listening to it frantically buzz as his friends realized what he had just said. Theo wasn't one to start the Liam conversation, generally, so it was unexpected that he would bring it up at random, especially after the week he'd had. After five straight days of his friends bothering him about the lacrosse player, Theo decided it was time to give them a taste of their own medicine by not telling them anything.

**Josh**  - Theo if your dumbass doesn't answer right now istg  _(10:43 pm)_

**Tracy**  - Did something happen???  _(10:43 pm)_

**Corey**  - im late what happened  _(10:43 pm)_

**Corey**  - OH  _(10:44 pm)_

With that note, Theo locked his phone, but not before receiving one more text, this one from Liam.

**Liam** \- hey :)  _(10:44 pm)_

Theo's heart jumped a little bit, for what he didn't understand. All he knew was that he was so not used to Liam's name popping up, and that Liam used little smileys when he talked. Or was that just with him? He didn't know, but it was cute. He wasn't sure what to say, so he just typed something random out and hoped for the best.

**Theo**  - Hey back :)  _(10:44 pm)_

**Theo**  - Sorry idk how to text new people  _(10:45 pm)_

**Liam**  - it's okay, don't worry  _(10:45 pm)_

**Liam**  - [Image Attached]  _(10:45 pm)_

**Liam**  - Jase sent me this. He's a jerk  _(10:45 pm)_

Theo opened the picture Liam sent him, laughing to himself as he realized what it was as Liam's last text was delivered. It was the one Jase had taken of them from behind the counter of the concession stand, and he was surprised that he'd forgotten all about the flash and then Liam basically highjacking his brother's phone and some snacks. Liam looked highly annoyed while he himself was smirking, his eyebrows slightly raised as he realized what Jase was doing.

**Theo**  - Well you look good. Affronted, but good  _(10:46 pm)_

**Theo**  - I gotta get to bed. My dad wants me to do spring cleaning tomorrow. text you later?  _(10:46 pm)_

**Liam**  - Definitely. Good luck with cleaning. You looked good too.  _(10:47 pm)_

Liam's message was sent with a little heart, and Theo smiled, tossing out his now empty container and heading to his bedroom down the hall. His phone was still buzzing with excited and questioning messages from his friends, but he put it on silent and got ready for bed instead of answering.

\---

When Liam arrived back at his own house, he had been out for awhile after the date. He knew that he wouldn't be able to contain his excitement about the whole thing and would end up spilling all his secrets to Scott over text, so he had taken a drive in his car, filled up the gas, texted Theo, and then made his way back home. He lived only a few streets away from his date, he noticed, something to keep in mind later. He could probably walk if he tried. 

He got out of his car and rolled his eyes one more time at the picture his older brother had sent him. Still, he long-pressed on it to save it, figuring he might want it one day. It was, after all, the first picture they ever had together, and that seemed significant. Was it weird to set it as his background...?

He did it anyway, wanting to preserve the memory for as long as possible. He finally shut his car door, locked it, and went to the back door since he knew his mom left it unlocked for him.

"Liam!" A little voice yelled as soon as he stepped through the door, and the older boy smiled. His little brother Tyler was already running towards him, barrelling at his legs. He was lucky he caught him in time, because even if Liam played lacrosse, the four year old had no trouble with knocking him down if he came at him fast enough.

"Hey, Ty!" Liam said, matching Tyler's enthusiasm as he picked him up off the kitchen floor. "It's pretty late for you to be awake, what's mommy doing?"

"She was waiting for you!" Tyler said. "And I to see you before I had go bed," He explained matter-of-factly in that toddler sort of way, leaving out words cutely. "You went on date?" He squeaked, and Liam stilled. 

"What?" He asked as his mom came into the room. Jenna smirked and looked at the two boys, Liam still holding Tyler and looking mildly nervous. 

"Ty, why don't you let Jase tuck you in, okay?" She asked her smallest son, who nodded and wiggled out of Liam's arms. It was then that Liam noticed his older brother standing in the doorway of the kitchen, looking smug as always. Once Jase and Tyler left, it left Jenna standing in the kitchen with her middle child. "Sooo...Jase sent me a picture," She started, and Liam let out a defeated sigh.

"You actually sent that to her? Screw you, Jase!" He yelled, knowing that Jase was probably still lurking on the stairs to hear what Liam would say. He was right, considering he heard both Jase and Tyler giggling before making their way up to Tyler's room. He sighed, turning back to his amused looking mother. "Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

Jenna sat down at the kitchen table and beckoned Liam to do the same. He hesitantly pulled out one of the chairs and sat down, wringing his hands in his lap. "About the date thing or the guy thing?"

Liam shrugged. "Both?"

"Neither. You didn't  _have_  to tell me, I just wish I found out  _not_  from your brother." Jenna had a sympathetic look in her eye. Liam had been out on dates with guys before and his mother knew about it, but he didn't ever bring it up again and they never had a real conversation about it. "I guess he assumed you had already told me directly."

"But...you're not mad?" Liam asked, not upset that Jase had butted his way in there. He was still on cloud nine from his date. Jenna smiled and shook her head.

"Why would I be mad? I mean, you're a little past curfew, but what am I gonna do about it now? Did you have fun?" She asked, rubbing his shoulder from across the table. Liam grinned and nodded sheepishly. 

"You remember when Stiles and Scott were over here last and Scott said something real loudly about me liking someone?" Liam asked.

"The thing I pretended I didn't hear since you were embarrassed about it? Yes," She responded, looking interested. 

"It was that guy. The one I've liked since eighth grade. The one who taught me how to do the Pythagorean Theorem." Liam felt his cheeks heating up as his mom's jaw dropped. 

"That one? Oh, God, I've been hearing about him since the minute you came home with an A on that test! I  _knew_  you liked him!" She exclaimed, feeling accomplished. Eighth-grade Liam was hard to read and often pretty complicated, so she was glad that she had gotten something right. "What changed?"

"This week we were kind of teasing, kind of flirting, and I decided I was tired of it, so I asked him on a date. I wasn't expecting him to say yes, to be honest...I just really needed a solid 'yes' or 'no.'"

"...And you got the yes," She sighed happily. "Well, tell me about him! I saw a little bit from the picture Jase sent me, he's cute," She commented, and Liam flushed again. 

"He's um, he's on the football team, one of the best players, actually. We've got a couple classes together, and we kind of casually talked throughout freshman and this year, but never anything like this. I feel like I can actually talk to him." He told him all about the date, all about Theo, the little things next to the big ones that seemed to matter all the same. He even told her about the kiss they'd shared when the movie was over, and said that one day, they were definitely going to watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off together and he couldn't wait.

Jenna smiled softly. "You're in deep already, aren't you?" She asked, and Liam nodded, admitting it to her and himself. "Are you gonna...tell people about this?" 

Liam considered it. "I mean, I'd love to. But I don't know if Theo feels the same way."

"All you've got to do is ask, my boy," She reminded. Liam tended to overthink things, especially when he was in a new situation. His mom was the one who normally kept him grounded and focused, and he was grateful for that. "In the meantime, you should probably get to bed, okay? David's parents are stopping over tomorrow, so I need you to be well-rested."

With his mom's support in mind, he smiled, kissed her on the head, and bounded up the stairs to get ready. He fell into a restful and deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, his anxieties finally quieted.

\---

For once, Theo's six am alarm didn't piss him off like it usually did as it went off right next to his ear, deafening him for a moment before he shut it off. Once the erratic beeping was gone, he remembered what it was: Monday morning.

Generally on Mondays, Theo would hit snooze a couple of times before his dad got annoyed with the constant alarm and drag him out of bed himself, but instead of snooze, he hit the off button and sat up right away. Monday meant a new week. Monday meant school. Monday meant Liam. 

Even though he was tired, he still got dressed without hesitation. Just like he was on the date, he didn't want to seem like he was putting in extra effort, but he also wanted to look good for Liam. Things were different now that he was, well, doing whatever he was doing with Liam. He didn't look at casual things the same way anymore, and everything seemed just a little more important than it had before. His dad's car keys reminded him of Liam's car. Liam's car reminded him of the date and the kiss. The TV reminded him of the movies. Which reminded him of the date. And the kiss. Theo was screwed.

He threw on a dark grey T-shirt, a black jacket, and black jeans, checking himself out in the mirror on his door before leaving to brush his teeth and do his hair in the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, Theo was all set, and also forty minutes early on getting ready.

His dad was still putting on a tie by the time he walked out to the kitchen, where Theo had poured the two of them a cup of coffee. Jonathan smirked. "You're up early," He commented. "Aw, are you excited to see your boyfriend?"

"Dad, shush," Theo sighed, shaking his head, but he couldn't bring himself to be frustrated at his dad at that point. He drank his coffee, checked his phone a couple of times, and waited until his dad was ready to drive him to school.

He tapped his fingers against the side of the car door the entire ride, and hopped out quickly after saying goodbye to find his friends. Since the weekend had came and gone, his friends had started to realize Theo wasn't going to tell them anything about whatever happened with Liam, so when he got to where they normally hung out before school, no one asked him about it. 

They were all gathered on one of the benches, Josh standing next to it while the other four tried to fit altogether on it. "Hey, guys," He said, and Josh nodded to him while everyone else was still preoccupied in whatever argument they'd been having before he got there. Mornings generally started this way: Theo would show up early, but not as early as missing the morning bickering that they often had. 

Theo settled in with his earbuds in while he waited for Hayden and Tracy to stop debating whether Dean and Castiel from Supernatural would ever be canon (Tracy was convinced that Cas and Dean were a doomed ship, while Hayden was holding out hope), but his focus drifted elsewhere.

On his phone was one red heart, sent by Liam, nothing else. He didn't even pay attention to his music or his surroundings when he saw it, giving a small smile to his screen. 

He was lucky that none of his friends had decided to look over his shoulder, because they wouldn't stop freaking out about it. Of course, the calm had to end eventually, and that was ultimately when Liam's car pulled up into the front parking lot. 

Theo didn't even pay attention to how good Liam's outfit was. He was more focused on the soft look on his crush's face, and he silently wondered what was going through Liam's head. Had he thought of Theo all weekend like Theo did with Liam? Did he replay the kiss in his head over and over again like a broken record? According to the heart on his phone and the one in his chest that was starting to beat rapidly with anticipation, he did, but he could never be too sure.

Liam got out of his car and looked around, his gaze falling on Theo. A smile came to his lips and he waved, to which Theo gave a small one back. The little hand movement made Liam smile even wider, and he took off the sunglasses that he'd been wearing just a second before, tucking them into the pocket of his white shirt and making his way to the door. Theo watched as Liam typed something out on his phone, and there was a vibration against his thigh just a second later.

**Liam**  - I'll see you later x  _(7:03 am)_

Unfortunately, Theo's privacy bubble couldn't last forever. His friends had stopped arguing now and had seen what happened with Theo and Liam, and they were all turned towards him. It took Theo a second to notice all the attention was on him. "...What?"

"What was that?" Mason asked the football player, and Theo saw all the curious looks on his friends' faces. 

"What was what?" He replied innocently, but he could feel his blush betraying him. The damn Liam Dunbar effect.

"That little smile and wave," Tracy scoffed. "Something happened between you two."

"What? No," Theo denied with a 'pssh,' looking down and shaking his head. His red cheeks got darker though, and no amount of staring at the ground could hide it. 

"Oh my god, you're blushing!" Tracy squealed. "Something definitely happened, spill, now!"

Theo bit his lip and looked at the sky, and his friends all giggled to themselves about how awestruck he looked. "He, um...asked me out on Friday," Theo revealed, and Josh let out a quiet "finally." "And we went to see a movie."

"How are you so calm?" Hayden exclaimed, mouth ajar. "You've liked him forever!"

Theo grinned up at her and nodded. "If I went any further, I'd be freaking out I swear-" He started laughing. "We saw 'The Breakfast Club' at the drive in and at the end..."

"AND?" Corey practically yelled when Theo trailed off, needing to hear the good news from Theo's mouth.

"And we definitely kissed. Like, five times, and it was...perfect," Theo breathed, eyes shining at the memory. His friends all "whooped" and Josh kept patting him harshly on the back, trying to get him worked up. While they celebrated Theo finally getting the guy, Theo looked towards the front door.

Liam was watching it all happen, and when he saw Theo look over at him, he gave him one of those award-winning smiles that warmed Theo's heart. He gave one last wave before walking in, and Theo was left with his excited friends and a new, rushing feeling.

Theo thought it might come across to his friends as rude for ditching them to meet up with Liam, so he could hardly wait for the bell that signaled they had to go inside. He left with a "see you later" to his group of friends and dashed off to the door, not seeing the knowing looks they all gave each other. 

He wasn't expecting to see Liam right away, but as soon as he walked into the front hallway, he was right by his side. "Hi!" Liam said cutely and excitedly, and Theo jumped in surprise before breaking into a smile. Liam appearing next to him wasn't an all too unpleasant way to start the day. "How are you?" He asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Theo was a little taken aback at his sudden friendliness, but he found that he liked it. Liam could be smooth and in control while also looking like a kid on Christmas. 

"I'm good," Theo said nervously, debating on adding something sappy, but deciding not to in the end. "How was your weekend?"

"It was alright. My grandparents came over and fawned over my little brother, mostly, so it was the usual," Liam sighed. "But I'm better now," He said, smiling up at Theo and gripping his bicep. Theo must have seemed a little surprised by the outward show of affection, because Liam removed it. "Sorry, are we not...? Sorry," Liam apologized sheepishly, and Theo shook his head.

"No, it's okay!" He protested quietly. "I just didn't know if you wanted to do that. We haven't exactly been the most, well, predictable couple," Theo explained awkwardly, and this time when Liam put his hand on his arm, he didn't object.

"Couple? I like the sound of that," Liam said, leaning into Theo as they started walking. 

The thing about being popular was that you were used to being stared at. People often looked at Theo when he walked down the hall, since he kind of demanded attention without effort, and the same went for Liam. There was a certain type of look people got when they saw them, but it was all different now: They were used to walking apart, never together. 

People's heads turned to look at Theo or Liam, but most if not all of them turned back again for a double take. What they were seeing was odd and foreign. It was unusual and sometimes even unheard of for a member of the lacrosse team to be talking civilly with a football player, since the two teams had such a past of rivalry and competition, but this was even weirder. Liam Dunbar, the  _captain_ , snuggled up to one of the most known players on the football team. "They're all staring," Theo commented with amusement, and Liam snorted softly. People looked at them as if they had each walked in with wings, but to Theo and Liam, it felt natural to walk together.

Theo spotted one of his teammates, Jordan Baker, looking at him with raised eyebrows and an impressed look on his face. Jordan was the quarterback, so it was good that he wasn't mad at Theo for dating Liam. He had more pull on the team than Theo did, after all. Theo just gave him a smirk back, since he knew that on some level, Jordan had known about his crush on Liam, and walked on. "You like this attention don't you?" Liam asked teasingly, tracing his fingers along Theo's arm. He hummed in agreement and Liam chuckled, stopping once they reached his locker.

People were still looking at them, but they couldn't bring themselves to worry. Beacon Hills High just got it's new "It-Couple," and everyone knew it.

"So, by couple..." Liam trailed off. "I hope that means... _boyfriends?"_  Liam asked, his voice going up a few octaves on the last word, hoping he wasn't pushing Theo along too fast or overstepping his boundaries. It was a little hard not to though; it had been around three years of pining over him, and now that he had the chance, he wanted Theo all to himself.

Theo turned to face him from where he was getting his folder out of his locker, looking at the anxious Liam with a small smirk on his face. "I thought that was a given," he said, putting one hand on Liam's waist. The smaller boy felt a shiver run down his spine at the touch. "Considering I've wanted you for what seems like forever."

Liam's nervous expression fell and he looked around to see if there were any administrators that would catch them before standing on his tiptoes and pulling Theo in for a kiss. He didn't care that it wasn't exactly public knowledge that Liam was bi, and he certainly didn't care that one of his teammates, Nolan, audibly choked on his breath when he saw them; it actually made the whole thing a lot better, in a funny way. 

"Kiss me like that and you're going to end up being a whole lot more than my boyfriend," Theo breathed as Liam detached, his cheeks about as pink as Liam's. The lacrosse player breathed out a laugh and rubbed his shoulder, biting his lip and running it between his top and bottom teeth. Talking to Theo like this was still settling in with him, and he needed to get used to it a little more.

\---

"So, uh...you and Theo are really official now, aren't you?" Scott asked at lacrosse practice, unsure of how to bring up the subject. He was happy for Liam, of course, since he was one of his closest friends and he deserved to be happy, but he could tell that the Eagles and Cyclones had a new sort of tension between teams. It was thrilling on one hand; on the other, some of Theo's teammates were trying to stare down the lacrosse team. 

Liam had been focusing on getting his water from the cooler, but he stopped drinking since it was a little hard to take in water through a smile. "Yeah," He admitted. "How'd you find out?"

Malia scoffed from the bleachers next to the water cooler. She was sitting with Lydia, and Stiles was taking a rest next to them as well as he was wheezing for breath after a run. "It's not like you kissed him in the hallway or anything, in front of the quarterback," She muttered, and Lydia tried to hide a smirk. "Everyone's talking about it, you know."

"Wait, what?" Stiles asked. He had been trying not to die from lack of oxygen, but he finally spoke up. 

"Theo and Liam are together now," Lydia said, patting her friend's arm softly in an attempt to tell him to get his shit together.

"Seriously? How didn't I hear about this?" Stiles gasped, this time not for air. "I mean, I knew you were going to ask him out, but when I didn't hear anything else, I figured you got rejected!"

"No, you're just out of the loop on everything. I'm pretty surprised, if we're being honest," Malia said bluntly. "I didn't think you'd have a chance with him."

Liam scowled at her. "Damn, Malia, don't hold back," He mocked. "I'll have you know that after that hell of a kiss we shared in the front seat of my car, he told me he had a crush on me since freshman year." Liam took a sip of his water from the little paper cone. "So suck it," He added, and Malia rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm happy for you," Lydia said in Liam's defense. "I haven't seen you guys together yet, but I'm sure you make a cute couple."

"Thank you, Lydia. You and your boyfriend are very supportive and helpful!" He made a point of looking at Scott and Lydia happily, and then disdainfully at Malia and Stiles. "Certain  _others_  aren't."

Stiles coughed in response. "I'll have you know that I can be very helpful! For example! Lube is important. It's gonna hurt like a bitch for either one of you if you don't use it-"

"Why do you know that?" Lydia snorted when Stiles started talking. 

Stiles stayed silent while three of his friends looked at him questioningly, but Malia was just amused and didn't seem to care all that much. "I have to go for another practice run, see ya!" And in his haste to get away, the tired, wheezing Stiles started running as fast as he could on the track.

While Malia, Lydia, and Scott were all murmuring about whatever the hell that just was, Liam let his attention slip towards Theo. Even before they were dating, Liam had made a habit of checking him out during practices when the football team and the lacrosse team had it at the same time, but it was somehow better now. There was a sort of prideful possessiveness knowing that while others might (and most likely were) checking Theo out, they belonged to each other and each other only. 

Theo ran through the fabric ladder placed on the grass with ease three times before Jordan took his place, and as he raked a hand through his sweaty hair, he caught Liam staring. This time, instead of getting all flustered or just plain not believing it, he shot Liam a cocky smirk and made a point of doing the thing with his hair again to see if Liam liked it. According to the look on Liam's face, he did. He made a mental note to do that a  _lot_  more from now on. 

After practice, Liam looked forward to seeing his boyfriend again, and Theo felt the same way. Since the football and lacrosse team were still sharing the same lacrosse team, though, there was very little they could do. If Liam even looked at one of Theo's teammates wrong, there could be a fight. Was the thought exhilarating? Yes, but Liam really wasn't looking for more drama now.

Theo still snuck him appreciative looks from across the room when Liam peeled his shirt off over his head, despite his teammates watching him like a hawk. When Liam tossed his shirt back into his locker, he raised one eyebrow at Theo, who was still looking at him, and Theo shot him a wink. His teenage boy senses were starting to kick in, so he yanked on another shirt and looked away before he could get too...excitable. 

The football players apparently took longer in the locker room than the lacrosse players did, since by the time Liam was about ready to make his way out, there were only football players left. He was going to make his exit, but he was stopped in his tracks when he heard something that he'd rather he didn't.

"So, Raeken," One of the players started, and Liam pressed himself against the locker to make sure no one could see him. He wanted to know how this played out if it had anything to do with him. "I heard about that thing you pulled in the hallway this morning. It's kind of funny, really," He laughed, and Theo wondered what he was talking about.

"What's so funny about it? I don't see the joke," Theo said, shutting his locker and turning towards his teammate. Aguilar was kind of a lot taller than him, and older, too, but Theo didn't care too much. He'd asserted his dominance on the team a while back by being a good player, and though he played with seniors and juniors, the sophomore didn't get picked on by the older guys. 

"I've got to admit, dating the captain of the Cyclones? That's gonna be a kicker. Good strategy, they won't see it coming."

Liam's heart dropped. He trusted Theo, but...it wasn't the most surprising thing ever that the good-looking guy of his dreams was too perfect to be true. It made his chest hurt to think about, but luckily, he didn't have to wait too long before the pain was eased.

"Y'know, contrary to popular belief, we can't all be assholes like you," Theo snarked, folding his arms over his chest and looking right up at Aguilar, not at all intimidated by his stature. "I'm in it for nothing more than him. I know you use your girls like they're tissues and throw them out, but I can't stay the same."

Some of the players "oohed" and Aguilar backed off, but not before rolling his eyes and scoffing. "I mean, that's cool and all, but...Liam Dunbar?" Another one asked. This time, Liam was just annoyed, but the sinking feeling of betrayal was gone from Aguilar's accusations. "I don't care that you're bi, but you could at least have some standards."

"Liam could end you in a fight any fucking day, Harrison, I'd put money on it," Theo shot back, still unbothered. Liam swallowed back a laugh, a small smile coming to his face at the thought that Theo was willing to stand up for him. He still felt bad, though.

While Liam listened to the insults being thrown both his and Theo's way, he became disheartened very quickly. Theo was firing back easily, but Liam wished he didn't have to. Some of the things Theo was saying cut deep, things that were probably entirely too personal to bring up. It wasn't that Liam was upset about the comebacks, but he knew that if it went too much further, Theo's relationship with his team would be screwed up for awhile.

A shuffle from a few rows of lockers away told him that someone else was picking up on it, and Liam's sights shot up from the linoleum floor to whoever was there. He came eye to eye with Jordan, the quarterback, and he cringed when he realized who he was looking at. "Sorry," he mouthed, but Jordan shook his head dismissively and headed over to the team.

"And another thing about standards? Have you  _seen_  Liam? You couldn't pick him up if you tried, if you haven't noticed."

"At least I'm not some  _fag!"_

Liam's eyes widened and he took in a sharp breath, clenching his teeth to avoid making some sound. He could already picture Theo's face.

Theo could take useless insults all day without difficulty, but hearing that thrown his way did something to him. Now he was mad, and as he advanced towards the senior who could probably beat him to a pulp without that much effort, he was stopped by a large hand. "That's enough!" Jordan's voice rang above them all, and Liam sighed in relief. He wasn't looking forward to listening to his boyfriend get into a fight because of him. "You don't call people that! What do you have to say for yourself?"

There were a few beats of silence before the guy answered. "Sorry," He spat entirely unapologetically, turning to leave, but another guy stopped him. 

"We're a team, guys! Teams don't treat each other like this, especially when it's something as stupid as who they're dating!" Jordan's voice was rough and authoritative, just how Liam would try and talk to his own team as the captain. "Who cares if Theo's dating a boy, who cares if he's dating Liam? If it's good for him and it makes him happy, then it's good for us!"

Jordan looked at all of his teammates. "Brady, you remember how Theo supported you when you failed that chemistry test and helped you study for it even though you felt like crap? We're a team!" Brady nodded, and Jordan huffed out a breath. "Tom, remember what Theo said when you got your girlfriend pregnant? He told you that he was there for you, because even if some people didn't like it, he was willing to support you!"

"You didn't really have to bring that up, but yeah," Tom mumbled, and Liam smirked. 

"Sorry. The point of the matter is that Theo has always been there for us, so we're gonna be there for him too. Which sometimes means staying the fuck out of his business! You should be happy that someone you're close to is happy, and with a nice guy like Liam."

"Yeah, I'm not all that bad," Liam said, stepping out from behind the row of lockers. Theo's eyes widened in surprise, but not altogether an unpleasant sense. "Sorry for sticking around too long, I got kind of sidetracked. Thanks, Jordan, hope you have fun with your homophobia, Brian!" Liam said knowing well and good that kid's name wasn't Brian, making his way to the door of the locker room. Before he left, though, he turned to Theo. "I'll see you guys around. Theo, I'll see you outside," He said, pointing a finger at his boyfriend, who smiled with anticipation. 

When Liam left, most everyone was speechless. "Well," Theo sighed, the grin still on his face as he swung his bookbag over his shoulder. "Duty calls!"

 

**Bonus:**

"Thank you, Lydia. You and your boyfriend are very supportive and helpful!" He made a point of looking at Scott and Lydia happily, and then disdainfully at Malia and Stiles. "Certain  _others_  aren't."

Stiles coughed in response. "I'll have you know that I can be very helpful! For example! Lube is important. It's gonna hurt like a bitch for either one of you if you don't use it-"

"Why do you know that?" Lydia snorted when Stiles started talking.

"I- Uh, you know well and good about Derek Hale last summer-"

"Yeah, but I bet they don't know about how every Friday I gotta break out the str-" Malia interrupted, but Stiles didn't let her get too far before he shoved his hand over his girlfriend's mouth and shouted.

"It's about time we get back to drills, Yeah?" He yelled before sprinting away, leaving Malia doubled over with laughter and Liam with a horrified look on his face at the mental picture he didn't ask for.


End file.
